About us

DKMS Life Science Lab - centre of innovations

Founded in 1997, DKMS Life Science Lab in Dresden (Germany) is part of the worldwide DKMS family. The lab is accredited by the EFI (European Federation of Immunogenetics) and the ASHI (American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics).

DKMS Life Science Lab provides genotyping services, currently focusing on a process called HLA typing. Here DNA extracted from blood or buccal swab (cheek smear) samples is analysed to determine the exact genetic profiles of the human compatibility genes. These profiles are essential for matching potential donors to patients needing stem cell transplantation. Only highly similar compatibility gene variants in both donor and patient can minimise the risk of complications following transplantation.

DKMS Life Science Lab employs the most advanced biotechnological methods to perform high resolution, high capacity HLA typing. In 2013, as the world’s first HLA typing lab, we started using novel sequencing technology, NGS, for HLA typing in a truly high throughput and highly parallelised fashion. Using this process, over 1 million potential stem cell donors are typed each year.

A clinical lab and a clinical search unit accredited by the German National Registry of Blood Stem Cell Donors (ZKRD) are affiliated with DKMS Life Science Lab. The clinical lab performs all patient-associated typings (patient, relatives and confirmatory typing of unrelated donors), while the search unit carries out donor searches for individual patients both among relatives and unrelated potential donors.

We are proud of our highly skilled and motivated employees. Our staff includes internationally recognised specialists in genotyping and related technologies.

To accommodate our growth, we are constantly looking for additional members to complement our team.

Departments

Laboratory management - High throughput lab

Our laboratory management department is the central platform for all incoming samples. It is the starting point for every stage of genotyping. Since 2013, we use Next Generation Sequencing for high throughput sequencing.

This new technique allows us to minimise sequencing costs and achieve a higher sample resolution.

Quality management and quality assurance

Our team of quality management and quality assurance experts with their high professional competence are responsible to ensure our performance. All reagents, equipment and software used at DKMS Life Science Lab are subject to stringent quality controls.

We participate in a number of external proficiency tests to independently confirm the high quality of our typings. The quality team ensures that the lab is performing according to highest quality standards. This is proven via internal audits or by on-the-spot inspection visits from professional associations like ASHI and EFI.

Laboratory technology

Our technology team is responsible for the technical infrastructure of the lab, especially for laboratory and IT equipment. They work on the technical implementation of new workflows, monitor the laboratory processes and initiate optimisation if troubleshooting is required.

In addition the department team also implements new procedures and methods into our lab processes. The aim is to ensure effective interaction between employees, equipment and IT to optimise results, minimise processing efforts and cut costs.

New methods have to be adapted to the needs of our laboratory, especially to achieve high throughput typing in short timeframes.

Research and development

The R&D department's main tasks are technology scouting, development and testing of new assays and development of inhouse reagents. They also conduct scientific projects and publish the findings in professional journals.

Genotyping analysis

Our team of highly trained analysts evaluates the DNA sequence data of tissue typing results, calculated by our inhouse analysis software. The analysis unit assures correct typing results by checking the gene sequences for accuracy and reliability. Our analysts also monitor the level of resolution and turnaround time of samples.

Our analysis team designs, creates and optimises evaluation directives according to laboratory best practices, the special workflow and our analysis software.

Bioinformatics

Our bioinformatics team works at the interface of complex data analysis, algorithmic development, and the implementation of specialised software to support the HLA typing workflow. Rapidly growing data volumes, evolving sequencing technologies and expanding typing profiles provide constant statistical and algorithmic challenges for the team to tackle.

Besides providing bioinformatics services to R&D and Quality Management, the team is engaged in research projects exploring upcoming sequencing technologies (e.g., PacBio or Oxford Nanopore sequencing) for their potential for HLA typing, the characterisation of novel alleles, or the use of machine learning as a means to enhance quality assurance.

Clinical lab

Any search for an unrelated donor should start with high resolution typing and all relevant loci. Our clinical department performs patient related and confirmatory typing. Our clinical lab employs the most up-to-date molecular genetics techniques.

Customer service

Our customer service team is available to assist our customers from first contact onwards by helping to define the required service. As the main point of contact, they will assist with any subsequent questions about the ongoing partnership.

We support our customers to make the right choices with the right outcomes.

Career - Jobs

Our expertise

High throughput tissue typing for stem cell donor registries and other medical purposes. As a subsidiary of the largest and most important global bone marrow donor centre (DKMS http://www.dkms.de/en), DKMS Life Science Lab currently employs around 100 people and has business relationships across multiple continents.

The lab is a pioneering organisation that regularly initiates or is involved in scientific projects. DKMS Life Science Lab is searching for highly qualified employees who call conventional practices into question, are open to new ideas and have ideals that motivate them.

Why you should apply

DKMS Life Science Lab is growing dynamically and has a management team which is keenly aware of employee value. We have a unique corporate team culture which places trust and confidence in our staff and their abilities. Every employee is assigned responsibilities from the outset. Our flexible working models actively support the balance between career and family life. We offer impressive social benefits.

Last but not least we have one of the most motivating business goals. We support new life chances for patients and their relatives.